SOsome more afrobeat

Lágbájá
WebeforeMe
IndigiDisc, 2001


"Simply said, society blooms when each of its members learns to place the group's interests above his individual interest." From the album liner notes for We before Me.


Lagbaja is an artist who is submerged in meaningful mystery. In Yoruba, the word "lagbaja" literally means somebody, anybody, nobody-in-particular, a name that focuses the audience on the ideas behind the music rather than the personality of the musician. In addition to this nominal distancing from individual identity, Lagbaja also always performs with his face covered thus, physically disguising his identity while making his persona available for all. With these identity-obscuring techniques, Lagabaja at once symbolizes the relevance of his message to peoples of Africa, while at the same time showing the tendency of the West to condescend toward or even forget African countries and cultures in the cycles and considerations of international events. Coming from a faceless and nameless critic, the poignant concepts that underlie Lagbaja's music are allowed to drift through the masses, carried by their unstoppable rhythms and transcendent melodies.

We before Me is a compilation of songs released by Lagbaja in 2000. The musical form in Lagbaja's work bears the definite imprint of afrobeat, the musical style created by Nigerian superstar Fela Anikulapo Kuti decades ago, but it also contains traces of highlife, juju and more traditional African music such as Bata drumming. Lagbaja's music also incorporates rhythms and melodies inspired by Western genres such as rock, funk, and jazz, while continuing to push the boundaries of these traditions by using electronic beats and samples. With all of these influences and histories brewing in his musical pot, Lagbaja has truly created a sonic stew that achieves what only the best in music can a successful call on the past and present combined with a visionary eye toward the future.
by Hal Hixson

link;http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2UQW8ZHW